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Stupid Mistakes: My Biggest Lesson from my College Freshman Year

So as my freshman year of college is drawing to a close (less than a month left O.O), I'm starting to think back about the stuff I learned and try to identify my biggest growing point. And here it is.

My biggest lesson from my Freshman year at college is this:

Don't be afraid.

Have courage. Trust yourself.
Here's the thing: If you're anything like me, you were born of goodly parents who raised you well and taught you what was right and wrong (love you, mom and dad!). I went off to college knowing what was right and wrong, and being paralyzed with fear of doing something wrong, or of messing up in any way, from doing something actually wrong to forgetting to grocery shop or do my laundry. I don't know where you fall on the scale of "wants to do everything I should" to "wants to do everything I shouldn't", but that's how it was for me. The greater part of my first semester I worried I'd do something wrong. I'd slip up. But I had a realization towards the end of it, and it was this:

I know what's right.
I know what's wrong.
If I'm trying my best to do what's right, then the choices I make will be okay.

You're going to make some stupid mistakes; you are. It's a fact of life. I think that's actually what this time of life was made for--stupid mistakes. But the time I started allowing myself to make decisions and do things without being chained in place by my fear of messing up, was also the time that everything started getting better. As soon as I let go of my fear of mistakes, I was also free to succeed. In many cases, I succeeded gloriously. And in some, I messed up. And sometimes it didn't matter, like the times I missed a grocery day and ended up eating potatoes and oatmeal for a couple days. Sometimes it did matter, but it was okay anyway. Sometimes it mattered and I suffered the consequences, but even though I wouldn't repeat those mistakes, I wouldn't give up the growth I experienced.

Is this making sense?

I'm not advocating just going out and doing stupid things. That sounds like a really awful idea, actually. I'm advocating trusting yourself--believe that you have enough knowledge and wisdom to proceed, then do it. You ARE ready, believe it or not. Even if you don't feel like you are, you are.

Get out there and act, even if you're unsure of how things will turn out. Act to the best of your ability, and God will bless you for it. Take a chance. Take a risk. Sometimes, everything will work out and you'll be so glad you made that choice. Other times, you'll learn what not to do next time. You'll be okay, I promise. 

I've taken a few risks while I've been out here. 
Some of them, I've been really glad I took.
Some of them have had negative consequences. But you know what? ...I'm glad I took those, too. I've learned so much from them. I won't repeat those mistakes, but I'm glad I had that experience.
And some of them just haven't mattered. :)

Basically, trusting yourself not to worry a whole ton about whether or not you'll mess up frees you. Thus, my second semester has been so much better than my first. :) 

Good luck out there, my friends. ^___^ 


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